Priest education requirements

Q: How long is seminary school?

Seminary school is four years in length, however, it takes a total of eight years to become a priest. This is because after the four years of seminary college, you then must complete four more years of study at a theological seminary.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a priest. Priests usually study theology, english, or psychology. 45% of priests hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 838 real priest resumes to see exactly what priest education sections show.

The most common colleges for priests are the Spokane Community College and the Spokane Community College.

There are also many online priest courses to help get the education required to be a priest.

What education do you need to become a priest?

What degree do you need to be a priest?

The most common degree for priests is bachelor's degree, with 45% of priests earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 30% and master's degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 45%

Master's, 30%

Associate, 9%

High School Diploma, 6%

Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a priest?

You should major in theology to become a priest. 38% of priests major in theology. Other common majors for a priest include english and psychology.

Theology, 38%

English, 7%

Psychology, 5%

Business, 5%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for priests

Priests often get their degrees at Spokane Community College, Eastern Washington University, and Loyola University Chicago. Here are the most common colleges for priests in the US based on their resumes.

Priest common college	Percentages
Spokane Community College	8.20%
Eastern Washington University	8.20%
Loyola University Chicago	8.20%
The University of the South	8.20%
University of Idaho	6.56%

Show more common priest colleges

Best majors for priests

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Theology	38.5%
2	English	7.4%
3	Psychology	5.1%
4	Business	4.8%
5	Education	4.8%

Show more common priest majors

Best colleges for priests

The best colleges for priests are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.

A priest with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for priests. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become priests.

1. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

2. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

3. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$48,522

Enrollment

6,557

4. North Park University

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$29,860

Enrollment

1,967

5. Brescia University

Owensboro, KY • Private

In-state tuition

$22,100

Enrollment

918

6. Saint Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$31,830

Enrollment

986

7. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$52,687

Enrollment

9,392

8. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$38,178

Enrollment

6,008

9. Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$25,870

Enrollment

5,570

10. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$32,000

Enrollment

2,010

20 best online courses for priests

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Top 10 most affordable universities for priests

The most affordable schools for priests are Luther Rice College and Seminary, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for priests are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for priests.

1. Luther Rice College and Seminary

Lithonia, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,616

Cost of attendance

8,720

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

6. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

7. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

8. Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,033

Cost of attendance

12,702

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Metropolitan Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$8,688

Cost of attendance

17,502

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for priests

The hardest universities for priests to get into are Boston College, Emory University, and Fordham University.

Some great schools for priests are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for priests based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

2. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

3. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,354

4. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for priests

The easiest schools for priests to get into are Nyack College, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a priest without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for priests.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

6. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

7. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

8. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

9. Hardin-Simmons University

Abilene, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,085

10. University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,062

Average priest salary by education level

Priests with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $48,502 annually. With a Master's degree, priests earn a median annual income of $47,285 compared to $41,999 for priests with an Bachelor's degree.

Priest education level	Priest salary
Master's Degree	$47,285
Bachelor's Degree	$41,999
Doctorate Degree	$48,502

Priest education FAQs

How long is seminary school?

What is the best college for Priests?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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